I feel like I should be coming up with some clever cetaphod pun or something.

I got to have some great stuff happen within a 24 hour period, and while they were things I had planned on doing, the actual happening was really great.

First: Last night I went to Amanda Palmer's (and The Grand Theft Orchestra's) show last night, and regardless of what you think about her, she puts on an amazing show. There were all sorts of things I regreted (not wearing more comfortable shoes, figuring out there was a coat check after the show, not planning things with my ride properly so I could possibly get stuff signed), the show itself was really amazing and I got to stand near the front, so I was less than 10 feet from the stage. Also, Neil Gaiman telling us a story. There were a fair amount of drunk idiots in the crowd. Is that normal? (Most of the shows I've gone to were are really small venues where I knew people who were involved in some way.)

Second: There's a place in the Twin Cities that does archival scanning and museum quality printing. And since I'm a perfectionist who can't not notice the quality of printing, being able to go to someone that I know I can trust to do things right is a really big deal. I went in today with some of my artwork and talking to the guy who does the work and the level of care he puts into his work and just how much he cares about the artists and how much he understands how artists are was such a huge comfort. It was so nice to hear those kinds of things from a professional. So in the near future, I'm going to be setting up something and be selling prints (probably around 11 x 14 size). I've been wanting to do this for a while but the conditions were never quite right and so now I can start going in a good direction. Anyways, this is a huge step for me and I'm really excited about that.

Groovy, Trini! on both counts. }:> I wish I could see AFP and NFG together but fortune hasn't smiled on my yet. I hold out hope...

The play I'm stage managing isn't my usual cuppa so I have to find my entertainment other than in what the play is itself. There's a bit of stargazing, if I wanted. The director himself is an in-demand actor and will have to miss Monday's rehearsal to reprise a recurring role on CASTLE. I asked him to tell Nathan Fillion I said hi. }:>

I do like running the show, though. That is, I like feeling a professional and competent and stuff. I get complimented on making it go. Heh. Well... we'll see if that bears out. We might get to tech and dress rehearsals and find out I've been faking it all along.

Also, I made to the gym tonight, despite the many little reasons I put in my way to skip out on it. One thought I had was, what if Scott (Herr Director) convinces Nathan Fillion to come to a show and wants to introduce me and Nathan asks if I'd like to take a picture with him and I've only put on ten pounds between now and then (as I usually do during rehearsal & tech)?? Bwahaha stupid, I know. But it got me to the gym. Hopefully that keeps happening. It's been a good burn.

hah, I always do everything I can to convince myself that any project I'm currently involved in is amazing. If I start to doubt the quality of the product halfway through, I'm terrified I'd start mailing it in. Or at least I need to find something about it that makes the whole thing worth it. I did one project where the whole time, I had to repeat "at least I'm the lead, at least the cinematographer seems to know what he's doing, at least it'll go well in a show reel" like a mantra. It worked, though I was a bit short with certain people on that shoot by the end of it. :P

I'm feeling productive! I've been researching casting directors for films and show I like and/ or think are well cast and e-mailing those who don't have post addresses on their websites. Just waiting for some card backed envelopes to ship off my headshot and stuff to the others.

There may also be a light at the end of the mysterious-student-loan-hassles tunnel. While I'm still waiting for an appeal on my account re: some badly-predicted finances, this one might result in me getting an immediate recalculation. Apparently, at my school, 15 credits = 100% course load, while 12 credits = 80%. Now, that's all well and fine at the undergraduate level. But, as a graduate, I'm NOT ALLOWED to take 15 credits. The MAXIMUM is 12. Like, for realz. The Student Aid office REFUSES to tell my student loan company that I'm taking anything more than an 80% course load. It is FUCKED. I'm two angry emails in and maybe might have to start calling the student loan company directly to tell them just how idiotic my Student Aid office is being. I am so I can't even(It's possible I might not win this one; I am actually paying the same amount of MONEY as an undergraduate student, as in, the same amount a 12-credits undergrad would be paying. They'll argue that my loans are based, not on the percentage, but the dollar amount. And that somehow that implies that I should have an extra seven hours a week in which to, I guess, earn enough money to feed myself, or something. Did I mention the difference between "80%" and "100%" on my loan application is $1800? I guess that equals out. Except I'm doing twice the work of a undergrad, at twice the competence. Can someone maybe figure out how to do a qualitative measure of that for me?)

Caroline, you are lovely, gifs are lovely, and high-fives are better than hugs.

I don't partake of the Tumblr fandom, but my best friend does, and reading her blog is an insane joy. The repository of hilarious feels gifs these people must have in their bookmarks, it's gotta be outrageous.

10 hours of solid sleep, a few hours walking around marinas and rocky shores and back streets, taking a nap on the tip of a rocky wave break buffeted by the wind and warmed by the autumn sun, and just soaking in the beauty of the windy, sunny autumn day. Kite and wind surfers skipping on water faster than I generally drive a car, sky so blue it hurts the teeth to look at it, and the maple leaves bright yellow, turning slowly to red. Damn, you never realize how hollow constant stress and tension carves you until you let a day like this recharge the soul and drive the brain weasels away, leaving only peace.

I've not been around here much. This is because I've been staying with friends at a house that a German post-hippy built out of clay by himself without plan over 20 years in the wild emptiness of New Mexico in the 70's. It looks just like it sounds. Mornings have breakfast of freshly laid eggs from the chickens that roam free. Dogs and cats laze about on the property, wandering inside and outside at will. A large trampoline is in the back, so I can bounce with glee every morning. Internet works at a crawl, and streaming is out of the question, my mobile phone gets no reception whatsoever, but I'm enjoying being back in time.

Yesterday an Indian man selling hand made jewelry at the side of the road gave me a ring for free because he didn't have change for a $20.

I did a 48hour film project thing this weekend, and got to knock a woman to the ground before she kneed me and shot me in the chest. The raw footage of the fight looks pretty good, and I can't wait to see it all edited. I'll definitely link you when it's online. :D